U.S. patent number 6,718,551 [Application Number 09/467,889] was granted by the patent office on 2004-04-06 for method and system for providing targeted advertisements.
This patent grant is currently assigned to BellSouth Intellectual Property Corporation. Invention is credited to John C. Batten, John R. Stefanik, Scott R. Swix.
United States Patent |
6,718,551 |
Swix , et al. |
April 6, 2004 |
Method and system for providing targeted advertisements
Abstract
A method and system for providing targeted advertisements over a
networked media delivery system, especially interactive television
networks, the system comprising tracking and storing viewer
selections, analyzing the selections, and delivering targeted
advertisements that appeal to the particular subscriber making the
selections, the system including a merge processor, a file server,
a profile processor, and a broadcast server contained in a head end
in communication with a plurality of set-top boxes through a
distribution network. Based on a subscriber's viewing habits and
account information, the present invention delivers different,
customized advertisements to different viewers watching the same
program or channel. The present invention delivers the
advertisements as either still frame bit maps or as video streams
advertisement insertion in a playlist or a broadcast media
program.
Inventors: |
Swix; Scott R. (Duluth, GA),
Stefanik; John R. (Atlanta, GA), Batten; John C. (San
Jose, CA) |
Assignee: |
BellSouth Intellectual Property
Corporation (Wilmington, DE)
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Family
ID: |
25115976 |
Appl.
No.: |
09/467,889 |
Filed: |
December 21, 1999 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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779306 |
Jan 6, 1997 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
725/32;
348/E7.075; 725/16; 725/35; 725/9 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06Q
30/02 (20130101); G06Q 30/0269 (20130101); H04H
20/106 (20130101); H04H 60/31 (20130101); H04H
60/66 (20130101); H04N 7/17354 (20130101); H04N
21/2221 (20130101); H04N 21/25891 (20130101); H04N
21/26258 (20130101); H04N 21/26283 (20130101); H04N
21/4355 (20130101); H04N 21/440218 (20130101); H04N
21/44222 (20130101); H04N 21/4667 (20130101); H04N
21/47202 (20130101); H04N 21/47208 (20130101); H04N
21/6582 (20130101); H04N 21/812 (20130101); H04N
21/8352 (20130101); H04L 65/602 (20130101); H04L
67/22 (20130101); H04L 69/329 (20130101); H04L
29/06027 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
H04H
9/00 (20060101); H04N 7/173 (20060101); H04N
7/16 (20060101); H04N 007/025 () |
Field of
Search: |
;725/13,14,16,34,35,36,42,44,46,91,94,131,32,9 ;705/10,26
;709/217 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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0 424 648 |
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Feb 1991 |
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EP |
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WO 99 04561 |
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Jan 1999 |
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WO |
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WO 99 45702 |
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Sep 1999 |
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WO |
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WO 99 52285 |
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Oct 1999 |
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WO |
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Other References
US. patent application Ser. No. 08/779,306, Batten et al., filed
Jan. 6, 1997..
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Primary Examiner: Faile; Andrew
Assistant Examiner: Demicco; Matthew R
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Shaw Pittman LLP
Parent Case Text
This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No.
08/779,306, entitled "Method and System for Tracking Network Use,"
by Batten, Grauch, Danner, Stefanik, and Swix, filed Jan. 6, 1997
now abandoned, which is assigned to the assignee of the present
invention and is hereby incorporated by reference. Accordingly, the
present invention claims the benefit of the filing date of that
earlier filed application.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A method for providing targeted advertisements over a media
delivery network from a head end during an interactive session,
comprising: collecting event data of a subscriber on a server,
wherein the event data comprises the subscriber's selection of
programs on a set-top box from an interactive menu screen;
analyzing the event data and information of the subscriber to
assign a demographic group and a customer profile to the
subscriber; selecting an advertisement that appeals to the customer
profile and the demographic group of the subscriber; and displaying
the advertisement to the subscriber upon receiving an advertisement
request from the set-top box for an advertisement insertion slot;
and wherein the event data includes latest event data that are
uploaded by the set-top box to the head end when a new targeted
advertisement is to be inserted.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein analyzing the information of the
subscriber includes analyzing account information of the
subscriber.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein analyzing the event data and the
information of the subscriber comprises invoking an algorithm that
looks for patterns in the selections of programs and the account
information.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein the patterns are selected from
the group consisting essentially of key words appearing in the
selections of programs over a threshold number of times, key words
appearing in the account information over a threshold number of
times, and amount of time spent viewing a menu over a threshold
amount of time.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the advertisement
comprises delivering a bit map to the set-top box of the
subscriber, wherein the set-top box displays the bit map on a
screen.
6. The method of claim 5, wherein the bit map is delivered by the
server in response to a request from the set-top box.
7. The method of claim 5, wherein the bit map is delivered by the
server to the set-top box when the set-top is activated.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the information of the subscriber
includes at least one of accounting information, interactive
television information, subscriber registration data, and survey
information.
9. The method of claim 1, further comprising delivering a library
of advertisements and instructions to the set-top box, wherein the
instructions are used to instruct the set-top box to retrieve and
display a certain advertisement of the library of advertisements
that meets the customer profile of the subscriber.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein the advertisement is displayed
in the interactive menu screen.
11. A system for providing targeted advertising over a media
delivery network during an interactive session comprising: a head
end having a merge processor, a profile processor, a file server,
and a broadcast server; a distribution network connected to the
head end; and at least one set-top box connected to the
distribution network, wherein the merge processor collects viewing
selections from the at least one set-top box, wherein the viewing
selections are collected from a subscriber's selections of programs
on the at least one set-top box from an interactive menu screen,
and wherein the profile processor receives the viewing selections
from the merge processor, analyzes the viewing selections along
with account information, assigns a demographic group and a
customer profile to the subscriber, and, upon receiving a request
for a targeted advertising insert from the at least one set-top
box, directs the file server to deliver the targeted advertising to
the at least one set-top box based on the analysis of the viewing
selections, and wherein the at least one set-top box uploads the
viewing selections to the merge processor when requesting the
targeted advertising insert.
12. The system of claim 11, wherein each set-top box of the
plurality of set-top boxes comprises a navigator, a memory buffer,
and an operating system.
13. The system of claim 12, wherein the navigator is a software
application that runs on top of the operating system, generates
menu screens, accepts viewer selections, records the viewer
selections in the memory buffer, directs the file server to deliver
a selected program, and uploads viewer selections to the merge
processor.
14. The system of claim 11, wherein the plurality of set-top boxes
is in communication with the broadcast server, the file server, and
the merge processor.
15. The system of claim 11, wherein the profile processor is in
communication with the merge processor and the file server.
16. The system of claim 11, further comprising a plurality of
databases in communication with the profile processor.
17. The system of claim 16, wherein the plurality of databases
comprises databases selected from the group consisting essentially
of an interactive television database, a subscriber registration
database, an accounting database, and a survey database.
18. The system of claim 11, wherein the media delivery network is
selected from the group consisting essentially of an interactive
media delivery system, a cable television network, a wireless cable
television network, a satellite television network, and a media
delivery system that allows duplex communication with the plurality
of set-top boxes.
19. The system of claim 11, wherein the file server delivers the
targeted advertising in the interactive menu screen.
20. A system for providing targeted advertising over a media
delivery network during an interactive session comprising: a head
end comprising: a file server for delivering advertisements; a
merge processor that stores subscriber event data; a profile
processor that analyzes subscriber event data, determines
demographics, assigns customer profiles, and issues display
instructions; a plurality of set-top boxes connected to the head
end, each set-top box comprising a processor for: collecting a
plurality of event records that describe selected commands from a
subscriber to a particular set-top box, wherein the plurality of
event records are collected from the subscriber's selections of
programs on a set-top terminal from an interactive menu screen,
said plurality of event records making up the event data; uploading
latest event data to the merge processor when a new targeted
advertisement is to be inserted; and receiving from the head end
targeted advertisements and commands to display certain
advertisements, wherein the file server receives the display
instructions from the profile processor and delivers advertisements
corresponding to the display instructions to the plurality of
set-top boxes for display.
21. The system of claim 20, wherein the file server delivers bit
map advertising.
22. The system of claim 20, wherein the file server delivers video
stream advertising.
23. The system of claim 20, wherein the file server delivers the
advertisements in the interactive menu screen.
24. A method for providing advertisements targeted at individual
viewers during an interactive session comprising: providing a
set-top box to each of the individual viewers, wherein the set-top
box is connected to a head end; tracking the individual viewers'
viewing selections and storing the viewers' viewing selections as
event data, wherein the event data comprises the viewer's
selections of programs on the set-top boxes from an interactive
menu screen, and wherein the event data are uploaded to a head end
when a new targeted advertisement is to be inserted; analyzing the
event data to compile a profile for each viewer; and upon receiving
a request from the set-top box for inserting targeted
advertisements, delivering advertisements targeted to at least one
viewer according to the at least one viewer's profile.
25. The method of claim 24, comprising recording commands received
from a control panel in communication with the set-top box to track
the individual viewer's program selections.
26. The method of claim 24, comprising downloading bit maps from
the head end to the set-top box to deliver targeted
advertisements.
27. The method of claim 24, comprising tuning the set-top box to an
advertising video stream to deliver targeted advertising.
28. The method of claim 27, wherein the advertising video stream is
supplied by the head end.
29. The method of claim 24, wherein the advertisements are
delivered to the set-top box in the interactive menu screen.
Description
BACKGROUND
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of networked media
delivery systems, and more particularly, to a method and system for
providing targeted advertisements to specific consumers.
2. Background of the Invention
Traditionally, the preferred method of advertising has been to
broadcast an advertisement to a large audience via mass media such
as newspapers, magazines, radio, and television. This mass media
advertising strategy seeks to reach the most number of viewers to
increase the odds of contacting the ones most likely to purchase
the advertised product or service. Although a large viewing
audience may see the advertisement, advertisers understand that
only a small percentage of that audience has a real interest in
purchasing the advertised product or service. To some extent,
advertisers can increase the probability of reaching purchasing
consumers by creating advertisements that appeal to those potential
consumers and broadcasting the advertisements in media that those
same consumers are most likely to view. However, even using a
popular medium to a typical potential consumer, advertisers will
exclude potential consumers that do not use the medium and will
include viewers of that medium who have no desire to purchase the
product or service. Because of this underinclusion and
overinclusion, advertisers necessarily waste at least a portion of
their budgets on consumers who are not in the market to buy their
product or service.
To offset this unnecessary spending, advertisers continually strive
to narrow advertising efforts to a targeted purchasing audience. As
briefly stated above, one targeting method distributes
advertisements in media content that attract demographic groups
likely to purchase the advertised product or service. For example,
television shows often appeal to a particular type of audience,
marked perhaps by age, income, or education. Usually, the specific
sponsors of the shows sell products that appeal to the same
particular audience. Similarly, in print media, advertisers choose
magazines and newspapers with the content, style, and geographic
coverage that attract readers likely to be interested in the
advertised products or services.
In another targeting method, advertisers pay the mass media to
deliver advertisements as a part of the media content. This method
embeds the advertisement in the media content such that the viewer
must view the advertisement to view the media content. For example,
some radio and television programs incorporate advertising pitches
into the program commentary or discussions. Other targeting
techniques display advertisements concurrently with the media
content, such as with corporate sponsored scoreboard icons in the
corner of a television screen, or with logos incorporated into
uniforms or equipment (e.g., race cars) that are repeatedly shown
during a sports event broadcast. Another embedded advertising
technique has film actors or actresses that use the advertiser's
products during their acting.
Although the targeting techniques described above focus on a
smaller consumer audience, the overinclusion and underinclusion
inherent in mass media advertising remain their principal
drawbacks. In each targeting strategy, advertisers waste money by
reaching people who are not interested in the product or service or
by excluding those people who are interested. Because these
techniques assess consumer interest on the larger scale of program
audiences instead of on an individual viewer basis, the techniques
will always suffer from the squandered advertising dollars
associated with overinclusion and underinclusion.
To address the drawbacks to mass media, advertisers sometimes use
direct mailings and niche print media to reach targeted consumer
audiences. Direct mailings and niche magazines focus on specific
potential purchasers or classes of purchasers. For example, a
pharmaceutical company can use targeted mailings to deliver its
advertising materials directly to doctors practicing the particular
type of medicine to which the advertised drug applies. As another
example, boat manufacturers can advertise in a small number of
magazines directed to boating enthusiasts. While these targeted
print advertisements increase the efficiency of advertising
efforts, they lack the powerful and influential images and sounds
that a medium such as television can deliver. Thus, targeted print
advertisements have only limited application and impact.
Recognizing the drawbacks to mass media and targeted print
advertisements, advertisers have turned to the internet to isolate
potential consumers and increase the power of their advertising
dollars. On the internet, a user controls the content she views by
navigating the worldwide web and accessing web pages and web
advertisements. Using software, advertisers can intelligently
monitor these user viewing selections, analyze viewing patterns,
and deliver advertisements suiting the tastes and interests of the
user. For example, if a user has repeatedly chosen to view internet
advertisements for camping equipment, the software will retrieve
all camping equipment advertisements that subscribe to the
advertising plan and deliver them to the user. In addition, the
software can retrieve advertisements for related products, such as
hiking gear, and display those advertisements to the user as well.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,948,061 discloses a method of delivering,
targeting, and measuring advertising over networks that is
representative of these types of internet targeted
advertisements.
Although these internet targeted advertisements marginally increase
the spending power of the advertising dollar, they still present
notable disadvantages. First, despite a growing popularity, the
internet has far fewer users than traditional media such as
newspapers or television. The cost of purchasing a computer and
maintaining internet access will continue to exclude potential
consumers. In addition, many consumers, especially those of older
generations, are intimidated by the seemingly complex internet
technology and prefer the more familiar medium of television.
In addition to limited consumer audiences, bandwidth restrictions
limit data transmission speed and hamper the quality and impact of
targeted internet advertisements. Most internet users are
thoroughly familiar with the long delays associated with
downloading graphical information, especially video clips or other
animation. These delays limit the types of advertisements that can
be displayed and dampen the impact an advertisement can have on a
user. Often, the consumer clicks through the web page without
viewing the advertisement or occupies the downloading time with
other activities such as watching television or reading.
Targeted internet advertising also has limited data from which to
determine a customer profile. To collect data, the targeted
internet advertising systems simply record user selections of
internet advertisements, note words typed when searching web
content, or read user information such as geographic location,
domain type (e.g., commercial, education or government), and
perhaps standard industry codes (SICs), which indicate such user
characteristics as employer and type of employer. To target the
advertising, the internet systems tend to deliver advertisements,
e.g., banner advertisements, related to a user's previous
advertisement selections or search terms without regard to the
current and changing tastes of the user. In relying on previous
advertisement selections or search terms, these internet systems
miss the opportunity to display the types of advertisements that
the user would be interested in, but has not yet seen or clicked
through. Instead of being proactive and assessing a customer's
tastes and delivering new, pertinent advertisements, these internet
systems simply react to previous advertisement selections and
deliver related advertisements.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a system and method for providing targeted
advertisements over a networked media delivery system. Broadly
stated, the present invention tracks and stores viewing events
(e.g., such as menu choices or changes in programming), analyzes
the events, and delivers targeted advertisements that appeal to the
particular subscriber generating the events. By collecting data on
viewing habits and analyzing that data in light of other subscriber
account information (from other subscriber databases), the present
invention is able to intelligently select and display
advertisements that offer products or services a viewer is truly
interested in purchasing. Further, the present invention can
deliver different advertisements to different viewers watching the
same program or channel. Thus, the present invention reaches a
large audience (e.g., a cable television audience), assesses the
interests and tastes of each subscriber of that audience, and
delivers advertisements to each subscriber for products or services
that the subscriber is predisposed to purchase. The net result is a
more efficiently spent advertising dollar for the sponsors and an
increased profit margin for the network media providers.
As part of the present invention, the tracking and storing of event
data is accomplished by use of a system for tracking network use,
such as the Clickstream system of BellSouth Interactive Media
Services. That network use tracking system is described in
co-pending application Ser. No. 08/779,306, entitled "Method and
System for Tracking Network Use," by Batten, Grauch, Danner,
Stefanik, and Swix, filed Jan. 6, 1997, which is assigned to the
assignee of the present invention. As part of the present
invention, event data gathered by a network use tracking system can
include such viewing events as a channel viewed, a switch to
another channel, use of a VCR or other ancillary device, or
invocation of an interactive application and subscriber commands
given to the system during the application. For identification and
tracking, event data also includes a time stamp (to indicate, e.g.,
start and stop times) and the subscriber's set-top box
identification.
The primary components of the present invention, as shown in FIG.
1, include a merge processor 100, a file server 102, a profile
processor 104, and a broadcast server 105, connected to a plurality
of set-top boxes 108. Together, these components record network use
by individual subscribers, store and organize data associated with
the network use, analyze the data to identify interests of an
individual subscriber, classify the individual subscriber in a
demographic group, and deliver an advertisement targeted for her
demographic group to the individual subscriber. Merge processor
100, file server 102, and broadcast server 105 reside in a head end
110, typically operated by a media service provider, and are
connected to a plurality of set-top boxes 108 through a distributed
media delivery network 106, such as a satellite, cable, or
fiberoptic network. Profile processor 104 also resides in head end
110 and is connected to merge processor 100 and file server
102.
A set-top box is a network media device comprising a
microprocessor, a memory buffer for operating instructions and
storage, and a control interface for receiving subscriber viewing
commands from a remote control device or control panel. In addition
to the term "set-top box," such a network media device is sometimes
referred to as a set-top terminal, a cable converter, or a home
communications terminal. One or more of these terms apply generally
to devices that are coupled to or made a part of a display device
that shows programming to a subscriber. In addition, as used in
this specification and in the claims, the term "set-top box" also
includes a personal computer or any other computational device that
communicates with a media delivery network and performs the
functions described herein. When it is connected to a viewing
device, e.g., a television set at a subscriber premises, the
set-top box responds to and records the viewing selections ("event
data") of a subscriber. At predetermined intervals, the set-top box
uploads this event data through the distributed network to the
merge processor.
Merge processor 100 communicates with the plurality of set-top
boxes through the distribution network. Merge processor 100
receives the event data from the set-top boxes, organizes the data,
and stores the data in event lists arranged by subscriber
account.
File server 102 stores display data to be delivered to the
plurality of set-top boxes in response to a subscriber selection.
For example, file server 102 can contain digital copies of
pay-per-view movies or commercials. The display data can be in the
form of text, graphic elements, bit maps, or video stream. Graphic
elements are simple display images such as rectangles, lines, or
circles. Bit maps define a display space, e.g., a still frame or
picture, and define a color for each pixel or "bit" in the display
space. Examples of graphic image file types that contain bit maps
include GIF and JPEG files. Video streams are a series of frames or
pictures that produce moving images or animation. Alternately, the
display data could be a multimedia presentation, e.g., a
Shockwave.TM., Flash.TM., or Java.TM. presentation.
In addition to storing and delivering display data, file server 102
also communicates with the plurality of set-top boxes, performing
such functions as assigning each set-top box to a demographic group
and directing each set-top box to tune to particular channels.
In contrast to the interactive sessions of file server 102,
broadcast server 105 delivers a continuous stream of display data
within a broadcast environment. Broadcast server 105 delivers
multiple video streams on separate channels and, unlike file server
102, does not participate in dynamic interchange with the set-top
boxes. Instead, the set-top boxes tune to the particular channels
that contain programming corresponding to their individual
demographic groups.
Profile processor 104 receives event data from merge processor 100
and additional data from several other sources to construct a
consumer profile of a subscriber. In constructing a profile,
profile processor 104 analyzes the data to identify a subscriber's
viewing habits and corresponding interests. In addition to merge
processor 100, the other data sources preferably include an
interactive selection list from an interactive television database
120, subscriber data from a customer registration database 122,
billing data from an accounting database 124, and perhaps
questionnaire data from a survey database 126 that stores
customers' specific responses to questions about their interests.
Profile processor 104 uses an algorithm to systematically examine
customer profile information, to determine the particular
demographic group of the viewer, and to choose an advertisement
that appeals to the interests of the viewer and the demographic
group. Once the analysis is complete, profile processor 104
instructs file server 102 to deliver a particular advertisement to
the set-top box of the viewer. Profile processor 104 performs data
source analyses and issues instructions concurrently among multiple
viewers so that multiple viewers watching the same show can receive
different advertisements.
As is apparent to those skilled in the art, the present invention
may be used with numerous types of networked media delivery
systems. For example, the method or system of the present invention
could be deployed on an interactive media delivery system or
modified for use with a conventional cable television network, a
wireless cable television network, or a home satellite television
network.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a
system and method for delivering targeted advertisements to the
types of consumers most likely to purchase the advertised product
or service.
It is another object of the present invention to provide targeted
advertising that reaches a large audience, that monitors and
assesses each viewer of that audience to determine purchasing
interests, and that displays advertisements to each viewer
corresponding to her purchasing interests.
It is another object of the present invention to use an easily
accessible medium to deliver targeted advertisements to the
consumers most likely to purchase the advertised product.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a targeted
advertising system and method that displays both bit map and video
stream advertising.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a means
for displaying different commercials to individual viewers watching
the same channel.
These and other objects of the present invention are described in
greater detail in the detailed description of the invention, the
appended drawings, and the attached claims. Additional features and
advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description
that follows, will be apparent from the description, or may be
learned by practicing the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the system architecture of the
present invention.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart outlining the method of delivering custom
advertisements targeted to specific consumers.
FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating progressive menu screens
of a typical interactive television system.
FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of the advertisement insertion
playlist method of the present invention, showing an advertisement
library and a playlist.
FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of the broadcast advertisement
insertion method of the present invention, showing the method by
which set-top boxes switch from programming streams to
advertisement insertion streams.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a system and method for providing targeted
advertisements over networked media delivery systems, such as
interactive media delivery systems, conventional cable television
networks, wireless cable television networks, home satellite
television networks, and other media delivery systems that allow
duplex communication (perhaps with the return path via a separate,
e.g., telephone, network) to a set-top box coupled to a
subscriber's display device, such as a television. As an overview,
the present invention records the viewing selections of a
subscriber, compiles the viewing selection data along with other
available data (e.g., interactive purchasing or questionnaire
data), analyzes the data to formulate a customer profile, matches
the customer profile to a demographic group, and displays for the
customer a bit map or video stream advertisement that is customized
for the customer or the customer's demographic group.
System Architecture
Referring to FIG. 1, the present invention includes a merge
processor 100, a file server 102, a profile processor 104, and a
broadcast server 105. A head end 110, typically operated by a media
service provider, houses merge processor 100, file server 102,
profile processor 104, and broadcast server 105. Merge processor
100, file server 102, and broadcast server 105 connect to a
plurality of set-top boxes 108 through a distribution network 106,
which is any media delivery network such as a coaxial or fiberoptic
cable system. Profile processor 104 is connected to both merge
processor 100 and file server 102, as shown in FIG. 2. Each set-top
box resides at a subscriber's premises, connected to a viewing
device, e.g., a television.
Each set-top box of the plurality of set-top boxes 108 provides a
control interface through which a subscriber makes viewing
selections by, e.g., using a remote control unit, a keyboard, or a
control panel. In providing this interface, a set-top box performs
the following functions: (1) routes traditional broadcast signals
to the connected viewing device; (2) converts media content to a
selected video format (e.g., NTSC or PAL) and presents the content
to the subscriber; (3) for interactive systems, exchanges messages
(including display data) with merge processor 100 over distribution
network 106; (4) receives messages from a subscriber input device,
such as a remote control unit; (5) translates video signals from a
network-native format into a format that can be used by the viewing
device; (6) inserts alphanumeric or graphical information into the
video stream to overlay that information on the video image; and
(7) provides graphic or audio feedback to the subscriber. Examples
of commercially available set-top boxes that satisfy these
functions include an SA Explorer 2000 set-top box by Scientific
Atlanta, a DCT-5000 set-top box by General Instruments, and a Z12C
set-top box by Zenith.
With specific reference to the present invention, each set-top box
completes many intelligent functions, including the collection,
storage, exchange, and display of data. To satisfy these functions,
the set-top box has a navigator, an operating system, and a memory
buffer. The operating system is a computer program that, after
being initially loaded into the set-top box by a bootstrap program,
manages the other programs, or applications, running on the set-top
box. The navigator is a software application running on top of the
operating system. The navigator generates menu screens and accepts
viewer menu selections such as movie orders, preview orders, or
requests to watch an advertisement. Based on these selections, the
navigator directs the file server to deliver the selected program,
e.g., the server plays the selected movie. In addition, the
navigator records viewer selections or event data in the memory
buffer, and periodically (or on command) uploads the data through
distribution network 106 to merge processor 100. Optionally,
instead of the navigator, file server 102 could record the event
data.
Merge processor 100 receives communications from the plurality of
set-top boxes 108 through distribution network 106. The
communications include the event data stored in the memory buffer
of the plurality of set-top boxes 108. After receiving the event
data, merge processor 100 organizes the data and stores the data in
event lists arranged by subscriber account.
File server 102 stores the display data to be delivered to the
plurality of set-top boxes 108. File server 102 delivers the data
in response to subscriber viewing commands and instructions from
profile processor 104. The display data can be in any form
compatible with the networked media delivery system. However, the
preferred forms are text, graphic elements, bit maps, and video
stream. The content of the display data can be any media program,
e.g., advertisements, television shows, news, movie trailers,
movies, or still images, such as advertisement banners.
Alternately, the display data could be a multimedia
presentation.
Profile processor 104 performs the subscriber analysis and
advertisement selection functions of the present invention. For
subscriber analysis, profile processor 104 constructs a customer
profile based on subscriber data and classifies the customer
profile within a demographic group. For advertisement selection in
an interactive session, profile processor 104 directs file server
102 to play an advertisement that appeals to the interests of the
subscriber and the demographic group. Profile processor 104
performs subscriber analyses and issues instructions concurrently
among multiple viewers so that multiple viewers watching the same
show can receive different advertisements.
In addition to interactive sessions, profile processor 104 also
targets advertisements within a broadcast environment in which
several channels of programming, each corresponding to a different
demographic group, are delivered to a customer. In FIG. 1,
broadcast server 105 delivers the channels of programming in this
broadcast model. To target the advertisements, file server 102
directs each set-top box to tune to a channel delivering an
advertisement suitable for the customer's demographic group.
In constructing a customer profile, profile processor 104 receives
the event data from merge processor 100 along with any other
available data from other data sources. In the preferred embodiment
of the present invention, profile processor 104 receives additional
data from an interactive television database 120, a subscriber
registration database 122, an accounting database 124, and a survey
database 126. Interactive television database 120 provides data
related to the services a customer has purchased or used over
interactive television, such as video on demand. Subscriber
registration database 122 provides all of subscriber data recorded
at service initiation, such as a subscriber's address and employer.
Accounting database 124 provides subscriber billing and purchasing
information, such as service purchased, service rates, and payment
aging. Finally, survey database 126 provides personal information
gathered from subscribers using questionnaires that solicit
responses about viewing habits and purchasing interests.
System Operation
Broadly stated, the operation of the present invention comprises
collecting subscriber viewing selections, organizing and analyzing
the selections, determining a subscriber's customer profile and
demographic group, and delivering an advertisement targeted to the
demographic group. In the preferred embodiment of the present
invention, the system can deliver targeted advertisements as a part
of an interactive television session or within a broadcast
environment. Each method of delivery shares the same steps for
gathering event data and analyzing a subscriber's interests.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating the steps involved in collecting
and analyzing event data and delivering targeted advertisements for
both the interactive session model and the broadcast model,
according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. While
the steps described herein and illustrated in the flowchart contain
many specific examples of information and media flow, these steps
should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the
invention, but rather as examples of steps that could be used to
practice the invention. In step 200 of FIG. 2, a subscriber enters
viewing commands into the set-top box using a remote control unit,
a control panel, or another device. In step 202, the navigator
provisioned on the set-top box records each command as event data
in the memory buffer of the set-top box.
The navigator uploads the event data to merge processor 100 and
clears the memory buffer in step 204. The time at which this upload
occurs depends upon whether the system is delivering targeted
advertisements as a part of an interactive television session or
within a broadcast environment. For interactive sessions, the
upload occurs at a predetermined interval or as commanded by merge
processor 100, as shown in step 204a. For broadcast, the upload
occurs when the set-top box first establishes communication with
head end 110, as shown in step 204b. The upload also depends on
whether the navigator or file server 102 is recording the event
data. Although the flowchart and following description show the
navigator performing this function, in an alternate embodiment of
the present invention, file server 102 records and immediately
processes the event data. Having file server 102 collect the event
data is preferable for an internet application in which file server
102 is the web server.
Steps 200 through 204 repeat continually as the subscriber
interacts with the networked media delivery system. The longer the
subscriber interacts with the system, the more event data merge
processor 100 will contain from which to analyze the subscriber's
viewing habits and interests. In step 206, merge processor 100
compiles the event data into event lists organized by subscriber.
With the event lists tabulated, merge processor 100 is ready to
provide the information necessary to assess a subscriber's viewing
interests.
In step 208, profile processor 104 retrieves the event lists from
merge processor 100 to begin shaping a customer profile of the
subscriber. In addition, profile processor 104 draws information
from all available databases, including, for example, interactive
television database 120, subscriber registration database 122,
accounting database 124, and survey database 126. These databases
provide profile processor 104 with additional subscriber
information such as address, employer, income level, favored
manufacturers, banking habits, and products purchased through
interactive television.
By analyzing the event data and the subscriber data from the
various databases, in step 210 profile processor 104 assigns a
customer profile to the subscriber and matches the customer profile
to a demographic group. Generally, this analysis involves searching
the event lists and subscriber data for patterns such as key words,
e.g., "action" movie or "western" movie, or repeatedly selected
menu items, e.g., do-it-yourself home improvement videos. As a part
of this search, merge processor 100 could count the number of key
words cited, the number of menu item selections, or perhaps the
amount of time the subscriber viewed particular menus, and if the
number or amount exceeded a certain threshold, would assign the
subscriber to a certain customer profile or demographic group. The
method by which an individual media service provider analyzes the
event data and subscriber data depends largely on the provider's
particular market strategy and business resources. As such, the
optimal analysis method will vary among different service
providers.
Having assigned a customer profile and demographic group to the
subscriber, the system is ready to retrieve and deliver a targeted
advertisement when an advertisement slot becomes available, as
called for in step 212. The method by which the system retrieves
and delivers the advertisement depends on whether the system is
delivering targeted advertisements as a part of an interactive
television session (step 204a above) or within a broadcast
environment (step 204b above). For an interactive session, as shown
in step 212a, the subscriber makes a viewing selection that has
advertisement insertion slots for targeted advertisements. In
response, profile processor 104 chooses an advertisement
corresponding to the subscriber's customer profile and demographic
group, and file server 102 delivers the advertisement to the
subscriber in a menu screen or playlist.
For the broadcast environment, as shown in step 212b, the set-top
box receives its assigned demographic group from file server 102
when the set-top box first establishes communication with head end
110 or during subsequent communications. Based on the assigned
demographic group, the set-top box then retrieves the corresponding
targeted advertisements. In the broadcast environment, the method
by which the set-top box retrieves the targeted advertisements
varies. For example, if the advertisements are video streams, the
set-top box could tune to broadcast channels delivering
advertisements at the appropriate time, or, for bit map
advertisements, the set-top box could tune to advertisements
spooled in a broadcast carousel format.
As outlined in the flowchart of FIG. 2, in the preferred embodiment
of the present invention, the system components deliver targeted
advertisements in two principal ways. The first method displays bit
map or video advertisements during an interactive television
session as a part of menu screens or as a part of a dynamic
advertisement insertion in a playlist, e.g., a playlist constructed
in response to a pay-per-view movie order. The second method
displays bit map or video stream advertisements as a part of a
standard video broadcast.
The following descriptions and figures illustrate these methods of
delivering targeted advertisements in more detail and according to
preferred embodiments of the present invention. Although the
present invention is applicable to any situation in which networked
media delivery systems display advertisements to subscribers, the
following descriptions and schematics trace the operation of the
present invention in the context of bit maps and video streaming.
While the method described herein and illustrated in the figures
contains many specific examples of media flow steps, these steps
should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the
invention, but rather as examples of media flow steps that could be
used to practice the invention. As would be apparent to one of
ordinary skill in the art, many other variations on the system
operation are possible, including differently grouped and ordered
method steps. Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be
determined not by the embodiments illustrated, but by the appended
claims and their equivalents.
Each of the following methods for delivering targeted
advertisements relies on the ability of head end 110 to identify a
particular subscriber through the subscriber's set-top box. For
each request for advertisement insertion, a set-top box can include
its user identification so that head end 110 knows which event
lists and database entries to consult. However, in the preferred
embodiment of the present invention, the navigator of the set-top
box identifies itself (and its subscriber) to head end 110 when the
set-top box activates and establishes an interactive session. Thus,
when the set-top box requests an advertisement insertion, head end
110 already knows the identity of the set-top box and its
subscriber.
Interactive Session
For interactive sessions, the preferred embodiment of the present
invention delivers targeted advertisements during 1) interactive
menu screens, or 2) in a playlist created in response to the
selection of a program (e.g., a pay-per-view movie).
The delivery of a targeted bit map and video advertisement during
an interactive session requires a communication between a set-top
box and head end 110. Specifically, the navigator on the set-top
box recognizes an advertisement insertion slot and queries head end
110 for an advertisement to insert. Based on the customer profile
or demographic developed in steps 200 through 210 of FIG. 2, file
server 102 of head end 110 delivers a suitable targeted
advertisement.
1) Interactive Menu Screen:
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the
advertisement insertion slot is in an interactive television menu
screen. As an example, FIG. 3 shows progressive menu screens of a
typical interactive television system. Each screen has an area 300
for displaying bit map or video advertisements forwarded by file
server 102. In screen 302, the subscriber views the main menu
having general viewing categories, such as movies, sports events,
children's programs, and adult programs. After choosing "movies,"
in screen 304 the subscriber is presented with types of available
movies, such as comedies, action, drama, and westerns. Upon
choosing "westerns," screen 306 appears, giving the subscriber
individual movie titles to order, such as "True Grit" and "High
Noon." Finally, after ordering a particular movie, "True Grit," the
interactive television system displays a marquee screen 308 that
provides information about the movie, such as lead actors,
director, and running time.
During this interactive session, the navigator records each
subscriber selection as event data. In the preferred embodiment,
the navigator uploads the latest event data to merge processor 100
every time a new targeted advertisement must be inserted. In this
manner, profile processor 100 has the latest event data, along with
the data from other databases, to assess a viewer's current
interests. Thus, for example, in screen 302, the present invention
could display a bit map or video movie trailer advertisement
enticing the subscriber to look further into the menu options but
not necessarily targeting a specific customer profile or
demographic group. Then, once the subscriber has chosen "movies"
and moved to screen 304, the present invention could display a bit
map or video advertisement for popcorn knowing that this particular
subscriber has watched several movies in the last month (from the
event data) and that the subscriber indicated a liking for popcorn
in a recent consumer spending survey (from survey database
126).
As an alternative to uploading event data to merge processor 100
when a new targeted advertisement must be inserted, the upload
could occur at any time, regardless of whether an advertisement
insertion slot is available. In this manner, the present invention
could create and save a customer profile and playlist in advance,
and display the advertisements the next time the customer begins an
interactive session.
After choosing "westerns," in screen 306 the present invention
could display an advertisement for a pickup truck based on the
subscriber's interest in westerns (preferably, but not necessarily,
from recent event data) and previous viewing selections focusing on
truck and automotive programming (from event data). Finally, after
ordering the movie "True Grit," the present invention could display
a bit map or video advertisement promoting a western style
restaurant chain based on the subscriber's interest in western
movies (from event data) and the subscriber's previous inquiries
about western style restaurants over the interactive television
system (from interactive television database 120).
The selection of a bit map or video advertisement depends largely
on the individual customer profile and the library of available
advertisements. Both the customer profiles and the available
advertisements are classified in demographic groups. Thus, the
present invention delivers advertisements classified under a
certain demographic group to subscribers having customer profiles
classified under the same demographic group. Preferably, the volume
of advertisements in the library is large enough to satisfy a large
number of demographic groups, thereby allowing more customized
advertisements.
The present invention delivers bit map or video advertisements from
file server 102 to the plurality of set-top boxes 108. File server
102 can download each advertisement when a set-top box requests an
advertisement for an advertisement insertion slot. However, in the
preferred embodiment, file server 102 downloads a whole library of
advertisements to the navigator memory buffer when the set-top box
is initially activated and then instructs the navigator to retrieve
from the buffer a certain advertisement and play that advertisement
to the subscriber. Although storing the advertisements in the
navigator memory buffer eliminates the delay associated with
downloading bit maps or video each time one is displayed, this
"look ahead" buffer strategy is limited by the cache size of the
navigator memory. If the cache size is small and an advertisement
cannot be stored, then the navigator simply reverts to querying
file server 102 and waiting for the downloading of the bit map or
video advertisement. Also, to save cache capacity, preferably, head
end 110 initially screens the advertisements that are to be loaded
ahead of time on the set-top box and removes the advertisements
that would not appeal to that specific subscriber whatsoever. For
example, advertisements for women's wear would be removed from
delivery to a male-only household.
2) Playlist Advertisement Insertion:
The playlist advertisement insertion method composes a series of
advertisements and a program in response to a subscriber's ordering
of the program, e.g., a movie. Once the subscriber orders the
program, profile processor 104 assembles a playlist including the
program and advertisements preceding and succeeding the program,
e.g., movie trailers for other movies or perhaps CD soundtracks of
the ordered movie. Such a playlist resembles the content of most
movie videos rented from vendors such as Blockbusters.TM.. As shown
in FIG. 4, an example playlist 400 is three advertisements A1, A2,
and A4, followed by the ordered movie M, followed by two
advertisements A23 and A8.
Profile processor 104 chooses advertisements A1, A2, A4, A23, and
A8 from library 402 based on the analysis performed in steps 208
through 212 of FIG. 2. Library 402 is stored in file server 102
(or, alternately, is downloaded to the navigator of a set-top box)
and contains multiple advertisements A1 through A.sub.N, each
classified by customer profile or demographic group. Thus, once
profile processor 104 has assigned a customer profile to the
subscriber, it merely looks for advertisements matching the profile
in library 402 and inserts those advertisements into playlist
400.
The playlist advertisement insertion method enables head end 110 to
dynamically build playlist 400 immediately after the subscriber has
ordered a program. Thus, profile processor 104 of head end 400 can
use the latest available event data of the subscriber to deliver
advertisements that appeal to the subscriber's most recent
interests and viewing habits.
Example
An example of the video stream playlist method of the present
invention is a pay-per-view movie service that shows commercials or
movie trailers before and after a feature presentation. In this
case, merge processor 100 would contain an event list of every
viewing selection made by the subscriber up to the ordering of the
movie. The event list could include data such as movie previews
watched, movies watched, television programming watched, products
ordered via interactive television, choices from interactive menus,
commercials viewed, and commercials turned off. The historical
extent of the data would depend on how long the present invention
was active on the subscriber's television. In addition to event
data, the media service provider would also have subscriber account
information such as billing.
As the subscriber progresses through the pay-per-view menu screens,
events (subscriber selections) are stored in the set-top box and
periodically uploaded to the server. The server collects the data
and organizes it into event lists. For example, the list may show
that the viewer watched a movie trailer for a movie about white
water rafting, then viewed an advertisement for outdoor adventure
gear, then watched a movie trailer about a wilderness hiking
disaster, and finally ordered the feature movie presentation about
a wilderness survival competition.
According to the present invention, when the viewer orders the
feature movie presentation, the pay-per-view service prepares to
send the movie along with the commercials that will precede and
follow the movie. At this point, profile processor 104 analyzes the
event data and additional data, classifies the viewer in a certain
demographic group, and delivers a commercial targeted for that
group. As an example, given the viewer's interest in outdoor
adventures, a suitable advertisement would be a commercial for a
sport utility vehicle with specialized accessories that carry
outdoor adventure gear. The present invention would deliver this
advertisement as a full screen video stream played prior to or
after the showing of the feature movie presentation.
Broadcast Advertisement Insertion
The broadcast advertisement insertion method inserts targeted
advertisements at predetermined advertisement insertion slots in a
continuous broadcast program. Broadcast server 105 delivers the
continuous broadcast program in one channel and delivers other
programs and advertisements in other channels. By this method, when
an advertisement slot comes up, file server 102 directs each
set-top box to switch for the duration of the advertisement
insertion slot from the continuous broadcast program to a channel
running an advertisement targeted for the individual subscriber of
each set-top box. After the duration, at the end of the
advertisement insertion slot, each set-top box switches back to the
continuous broadcast program. Optionally, instead of file server
102, a separate component called a session controller or session
manager (not shown in FIG. 1) could direct the set-top boxes to
switch channels.
FIG. 5 illustrates the method by which the set-top boxes switch
from the programming streams to the advertisement insertion
streams. Program broadcast 500 is a continuous broadcast running on
a particular quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) channel in a
particular program identification (PID). In FIG. 1, broadcast
server 105 delivers this program broadcast 500. The continuous
broadcast indicates the beginning of an advertisement insertion
slot with a signal in the broadcast transmission, known as a q-tone
502. Ad 1 in program 500 would be, for example, a national
advertisement that is not targeted. In contrast, Ad A, Ad B, and Ad
C would be targeted local advertisements running on broadcasts 510,
512 and 514, respectively. Program broadcast 500 and broadcasts
510, 512, and 514 would each have different PIDs.
Thus, at q-tone 502, head end 110 communicates to each set-top box
two items of tuning information. Knowing the customer profile or
demographic group of the subscribers, head end 110 tells each
set-top box 1) which PID to tune to, and 2) for how long, i.e., the
duration of the advertisement insertion slot. Accordingly, the
set-top boxes off-tune to the separate advertisement channel for
the specified duration and tune back to program broadcast 500 after
the advertisement insertion slot to resume watching the continuous
broadcast program. In this manner, two subscribers watching the
same program broadcast 500 can receive two different advertisements
appealing to their individual tastes and viewing habits.
The separate advertisement channel can be either another
programming channel whose advertisement insertion slots coincide
with program broadcast 500 or can be a continuous stream of
advertisements with no programming. The continuous stream of
advertisements is preferred if the intervals of the advertisements
line up with the programming channels that switch to it. In FIG. 5,
channel 516 represents a continuous stream of advertisements to
which program broadcast 500 can off-tune, e.g., to off-tune to Ad X
for advertisement insertion slot 2. Optionally, instead of tuning
to video advertisements, a set-top box could retrieve bit map
advertisements spooled in a broadcast carousel format.
The advantage of off-tuning the set-top box is a savings in
bandwidth. Instead of delivering a separate video stream with
targeted advertisements to each demographic group of subscribers,
the off-tuning uses only one continuous broadcasting channel and
tunes to other channels to deliver targeted advertisements.
The foregoing disclosure of embodiments of the present invention
has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It
is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the
precise forms disclosed. Many variations and modifications of the
embodiments described herein will be obvious to one of ordinary
skill in the art in light of the above disclosure. The scope of the
invention is to be defined only by the claims appended hereto, and
by their equivalents.
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